The U.S. faces many social problems—such as poverty, inequality, hunger, homelessness, access to education, childcare, senior, youth and migrant services—that challenge existing knowledge, policies and institutions.  Addressing these challenges requires both the theoretical insights of multiple disciplines and the practical wisdom that derives from engagement in solving actual problems. The primary goal of the Social Policy concentration is to develop a new generation of interdisciplinary researchers that engage in place-based multi-method research that contributes to our understanding and resolution to these problems. 

Through internships, coursework and research, students in this concentration have designed Latino outreach programs, homeless youth programs, community diversity policies, home weatherization programs for the poor, and numerous other community programs and policies that are making a difference in people's lives.   

The Social Policy Concentration Advisor is Professor Brent Steel.

Social Policy Faculty available for PhD student committees.

Minimum 16 credit hours of the following courses:

General Social Policy:

  • ANTH 566 - Rural Anthropology [4 credits]
  • ANTH 567 - Agri-Food Movements [4 credits]
  • ANTH 571 - Cash, Class and Culture [4 credits]
  • ANTH 572 - Contemporary Indian Issues [4 credits]
  • ANTH 586 - Anthropology of Food [4 credits]
  • ECON 507 - Energy Economics [4 credits]
  • ECON 514 - Political and Behavioral Economics [4 credits]
  • ECON 535 - The Public Economy [4 credits]
  • ECON 555 - Development Economics [4 credits]
  • ECON 565 - Transportation Economics [4 credits]
  • ECON 560 - Industrial Organization Theory and Policy [4 credits]
  • ECON 561 - Law, Economics, and Regulation [4 credits]
  • ECON 563 - Efficiency and Productivity Analysis [4 credits]
  • PPOL 544 - Collaborative Governance [4 credits] 
  • PPOL 555 - Housing Policy [4 credits]
  • SOC 512 - Sociology of Work and Family [4 credits]
  • SOC 522 - Sociology of Organizations [4 credits]
  • SOC 526 - Social Inequality [4 credits]
  • SOC 532 - Sociology of Aging [4 credits]
  • SOC 537 - Race and Ethnic Relations [4 credits]
  • SOC 538 - U.S. Immigration Issues in the 21st Century [4 credits]
  • SOC 539 - Welfare and Social Services [4 credits]
  • SOC 540 - Juvenile Delinquency [4 credits]
  • SOC 541 - Criminology and Penology [4 credits]
  • SOC 542 - Sociology of Drug Use and Abuse [4 credits]
  • SOC 548 - Law and Society [4 credits]
  • SOC 550 - Sociology of Education [4 credits]
  • SOC 552 - Sociology of Religion [4 credits]
  • SOC 570 - Collective Behavior [4 credits]
  • SOC 571 - Social Movements [4 credits]
  • SOC 575 - Rural Sociology [4 credits]

Education Policy:

  • ECON 535 - Public Economics [4 credits]
  • ECON 580 - Labor Economics [4 credits]
  • ED 590 - Social Justice in Education [4 credits]
  • ED 650 - Equity and Education Policy [3 credits]
  • PPOL 552 - Higher Education Policy [4 credits]
  • SOC 526 - Social Inequality [4 credits]
  • SOC 550 - Sociology of Education [4 credits]